Resident Physician Stories

Dr. Melinda Davis

Dr. Melinda Davis: More Than One Way to Practice Medicine

Dr. Melinda Davis was just 17 years old when she started medical school. Looking back, she’s the first to admit that it was early to make such a significant decision. At the time, she was drawn to medicine for reasons she didn’t fully understand; the intersection of science and humanity and the desire to help and care for others. What the work truly meant, however, only became clear much later.

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Dr. Nicole Brockman and Dr. Brett Ponich

Dr. Nicole Brockman and Dr. Brett Ponich

Dr. Nicole Brockman and Dr. Brett Ponich’s journey through medicine has always been intertwined.

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Dr. Colleen Forestier

Dr. Colleen Forestier: Lessons from a Life in Medicine

After more than three decades in medicine - spanning rural practice, military deployments and leadership, Dr. Colleen Forestier has learned that the profession demands both humility and resilience.

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Dr. John Kortbeek

Dr. John Kortbeek: Building Systems, Serving Patients, Seizing Opportunity

Long before he ever stepped into an operating room, Dr. John Kortbeek already had a vivid picture of what a surgical life could look like. In high school, he read a book about a general surgeon practicing in upstate New York, filled with vivid case stories and encounters with people from every walk of life. The combination of intellectual challenge, technical skill and human connection captured his imagination. “I was hooked,” he recalls.

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Dr. Antoine Sylvestre-Bouchard

Dr. Antoine Sylvestre-Bouchard: Lasers, Leadership and Protecting the Human Side of Medicine

Long before he matched to Ophthalmology, Dr. Antoine Sylvestre-Bouchard’s interests were wide-ranging. Coming out of Cégep in Québec, he was drawn to computer science, mechanical engineering, music, even philosophy. But a memory from high school lingered.

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Dr. Elena Mitevska: Compassion, Connection and Care Beyond the Textbook

Dr. Elena Mitevska: Compassion, Connection and Care Beyond the Textbook

For Dr. Elena Mitevska, medicine has always been about service. She was drawn to the profession because she wanted a career focused on helping others and pediatrics quickly stood out as the right fit. In her field, she says, she can care not only for patients but for entire families, ensuring every recommendation is both patient-centred and family-centred while also grounded in social context.

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Dr. Simran Sharma

Dr. Simran Sharma: Systems Thinker, Advocate and Architect of Change

“When residents are supported, they show up better for patients, with more bandwidth to be thoughtful, curious and present at the bedside,” she says. “When we support residents, we support patients and we strengthen the healthcare system as a whole.”

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Dr. Du Toit Visser

Dr. Du Toit Visser: Community, Balance and a Broader View of Medicine

Medicine was part of Dr. Du Toit Visser’s world long before he chose it as a career. Raised by a physician father and a nurse mother, he saw firsthand the relationships they built and the impact they had on their community. That early exposure left a lasting impression. Seeing how deeply they were woven into the lives of the people they served ultimately drew him into the profession.

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Dr. Chantal (CJ) Allan

Dr. Chantal (CJ) Allan: Surgery, Advocacy and Reimagining Residency

Dr. Chantal (CJ) Allan’s path to medicine wasn’t linear. She initially pursued a combined business and chemistry degree, envisioning a future in pharmaceuticals. During a summer work term, she found herself watching surgical videos online.

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